Critical Thinking

Dr. Richard Paul is founder of the Foundation for Critical Thinking and director of research and professional development at the Center for Critical Thinking. He is an internationally recognized authority on critical thinking, with nine books and more than 200 articles on the subject. His views on critical thinking have been canvassed in the New York Times , Education Week , The Chronicle of Higher Education , American Teacher , Reader's Digest , Educational Leadership , Newsweek , and U.S. News & World Repor t .
Dr. Linda Elder is an educational psychologist, executive director of the Center for Critical Thinking, and president of the Foundation for Critical Thinking. She is highly published and has a special interest in the relationship between cognition and effect, or thought and emotion. She has developed an original theory of the stages of critical thinking development. She is highly sought after as a speaker, and is a recognized leader in critical thinking.
The works of Linda Elder and Richard Paul have been translated into many languages including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Chinese, Turkish, Greek, Thai, and Korean. The growing demand for translations into increasing numbers of languages testifies to the emerging international recognition of the importance of critical thinking in human life. And it is a testament to the contributions of Paul and Elder to the growing field of critical thinking studies.
The Foundation for Critical Thinking seeks to promote essential change in society through the cultivation of fairminded, or strong-sense, critical thinking--thinking predisposed toward intellectual empathy, intellectual humility, intellectual perseverance, intellectual integrity, and intellectual responsibility. In a world of accelerating change, intensifying complexity, and increasing danger, critical thinking is now a requirement for economic and social survival.

You are what you think! Everything you do is determined by the quality of your thinking. If you aren't thinking clearly, you're at the mercy of everyone from politicians to marketers. Unfortunately, many people never give any thought to how they think. No wonder they're susceptible to the frustration, pain, ineffectiveness, and financial loss that result directly from poorly considered thinking.

Critical Thinking, Second Edition is about becoming a better thinker in every aspect of your life - as a professional, as a consumer, citizen, friend, parent, and even as a lover. Drs. Richard W. Paul and Linda Elder identify the core skills of effective thinking, then help you analyze your own thought processes so you can systematically identify and overcome your weaknesses. Coverage includes:

Thinking with clarity, relevance, logic, accuracy, depth, significance, precision, breadth, and fairness
Thinking more effectively at work
Becoming a more effective strategic thinker
Critically assessing what experts say
Understanding the links between critical thinking and personal character
Packed with new examples and exceptionally relevant exercises, this book will help you use critical thinking skills to empower yourself, discover new opportunities, avoid disastrous mistakes, grow your wealth, and more. Above all, it will help you gain the confidence and clarity you need to pursue and achieve your most important goals in life - whatever they are!

Preface xiv
Chapter 1: Thinking in a World of Accelerating Change and Intensifying Danger 1
Chapter 2: Becoming a Critic of Your Thinking 9
Chapter 3: Becoming a Fairminded Thinker 21
Chapter 4: Self-Understanding 51
Chapter 5: The First Four Stages of Development: What Level Thinker Are You? 63
Chapter 6: The Parts of Thinking 85
Chapter 7: The Standards for Thinking 127
Chapter 8: Design Your Life 167
Chapter 9: The Art of Making Intelligent Decisions 183
Chapter 10: Taking Charge of Your Irrational Tendencies 199
Chapter 11: Monitoring Your Sociocentric Tendencies 231
Chapter 12: Developing as an Ethical Reasoner 253
Chapter 13: Analyzing and Evaluating Thinking in Corporate and Organizational Life 283
Chapter 14: Strategic Thinking: Part One 311
Chapter 15: Strategic Thinking: Part Two 331
A Glossary of Critical Thinking Terms and Concepts 353
References 441
About the Authors 443
Index 445